No Quarter Given (SSE 667) (26 page)

Griff's understanding dissolved the last of her wary barriers. As his strong, capable hands cradled her face, Dana surrendered to her need of him. His mouth created a trail of lingering kisses from her temple along her jawline, and her breathing became chaotic. Her hands moved of their own accord, caressing his arms and broad shoulders. His breath was moist against her, and she risked everything, seeking his mouth, wanting to kiss him.

Groaning as Dana's lips tentatively pressed against his, Griff held himself in tight check. He realized that Dana was new at this, that Lombard had probably never invited her to explore him at her own comfortable pace. As she'd told Griff, Lombard had taken, not given. He smiled against her mouth, tasting the wine, tasting the sweetness that was hers alone.

"That's it, sweetheart," Griff whispered against her. "Explore me. I won't hurt you, I won't make you cry..." And the rest of his words dissolved beneath the bolder response of Dana's lips against his. Sliding his fingers through her thick, dark hair, he felt Dana ease down beside him, her body barely grazing his. Humbly, Griff returned her fledgling kiss, and tried to monitor his hunger. If he suddenly overpowered Dana, it would scare her and she'd retreat. Not wanting that, Griff forced himself as never before to remain in control of his tense, throbbing body.

The need to press herself against Griff was overwhelming. Dana didn't understand her own feminine instincts, but trusted herself enough to follow them. When their hips grazed each other's, he groaned. It was a delicious male sound that vibrated through her entire body like a song. As his hand settled against her hip, pulling her provocatively to him, Dana felt an ache begin to build between her thighs. As if understanding her needs, Griff's hand moved upward, cupping her breast. The sensation of his fingers curving around her was unexpected. Heated.

A little cry escaped her as his thumb moved in lazy circles around her nipple. It felt as if something were loosening inside of her, and it made her shaky with need. Dana felt his arms move around her, and he laid her back onto the blanket. As Griff settled down beside her, Dana opened her eyes, her breathing ragged. She stared up into Griff's darkened face. His gaze was narrowed with fiery intensity, his breath as chaotic as hers. Every time he caressed her breast, she moaned.

"You're so damned responsive, so hot," he rasped, running his tongue across her full lower lip. Her breasts were small and firm, with nipples that begged to be pleasured. "You're not made of ice, sweetheart. You're made of fire." The driving need to continue to explore Dana nearly overwhelmed Griff. Reluctantly he left her breasts alone and framed her flushed features. "Ice Queen, you're not," he told her, his mouth worshiping her lips, which had blossomed to life beneath his. With trembling fingers, he moved tendrils of hair aside and guided them around the curve of her small ear.

When Dana at last opened her eyes, Griff smiled down at her. Her mouth was wet and ravished looking, her gaze lustrous with pleasure and awe. "You see," he continued in a low voice, stroking the curve of her neck and shoulder with his thumb, "good things can be shared between a man and woman."

All Dana could do was stare up into his lambent gray eyes, lost in a warmth that washed through her like a heated tidal current. Raising her hand, she barely grazed his cheek. "You stopped."

A grin pulled at his mouth and Griff leaned down, nuzzling her earlobe. "Want rne to continue?" Her little moan enticed him, but he kept his hands still.

"Yes... no... I don't know."

Lifting his head, he smiled at her. "That's why I stopped. I felt you start to tense."

Amazed that he could read her body language, Dana stared up at him. "I'm sorry... It wasn't because I didn't like it, I—"

"No apologies, sweetheart. I know you enjoyed it. So did I. It was time to quit. That's all."

Stymied by his statement, Dana gradually sat up. She was content as Griff brought her into the shelter of his arms, simply holding her. With a sigh, she leaned her head against his neck and jaw. "Lombard didn't quit. He didn't respect my fear of him, of something that was new to me."

Griff wanted to kill Lombard in that moment. He held Dana tightly, hearing the pain and confusion in her voice. "Some men take," he agreed. "But loving another person means involving them in the act, Dana." He tucked her in the circle of his arms and studied her shadowed features. "I wanted your participation just now. I wanted you to enjoy it as much as I was."

The quaver in his voice told her everything. Gently, Dana caressed his cheek and leaned upward, wanting the power of his mouth fitted against hers once again. "Kiss me?" She'd never been kissed like that, and she wanted to continue to explore the wonderful landscape of his body and what it did to her awakening body and five senses.

Griff smiled and leaned forward. "Anything the lady wants," he breathed.

Chapter Thirteen

Griff tried to wait patiently in the ready room for Dana. It didn't work, and he got up to pace, then sat back down. She was supposed to get off her Friday-evening training flight shortly. Where had the weeks gone? Already, Dana was in her ninth week, and doing exceptionally well. Sitting at one of the report tables, Griff tapped his fingers out of boredom. Time with Dana since that exquisite evening on the beach had become severely limited. He'd promised not to interfere with her schooling to the point of her risking her grades dropping because they were spending too much free time together. No, Dana's drive to graduate and get her wings was too important to her—and him.

The room was empty and quiet. Glancing at his watch, Griff chafed and began to pace again. Would Dana go along with his plans? The tenth week was coming up, a cutoff point in the course. By this time, the students who were going to make it had done so. The rest had been weeded out and reassigned to other Navy career slots and stations. He stared at the door he knew Dana would come through, his thoughts lingering sweetly upon her.

Since their heated kisses on the beach, Dana had surrendered the rest of her wariness of him. With a sigh, Griff was glad he'd been able to control his own needs for her sake. Gaining Dana's trust was everything to him. His commitment to her was for the long haul. They had the time.

Or did they? Griff scowled, not wanting to look at that question too closely. Dana had another seven weeks at Whiting before she graduated. Depending on her grades, which were academically brilliant, she would be assigned by Captain Ramsey. Probably to turboprop aircraft or jets. And, Griff was sure, to another naval air station—anywhere in the world. He was stuck at Whiting for another two years.

Dammit, he loved her! There, he'd admitted it to himself. Getting up, Griff paced the huge room, hands behind his back. He'd fallen in love with Dana at the airport. Only he hadn't realized it at the time. That partly explained why he had overreacted to her presence initially; unconsciously, he'd been fighting his powerful attraction to her.

Every moment he spent with Dana was precious. Over the past month, their intimacy had grown. Griff had never felt this close to another woman. There was such intensity between them. Was this real love? A quiet joy flooded him every time he thought of Dana, heard her voice or was with her. When she smiled, Griff's heart blossomed with such spiraling happiness that he stood in awe of his own feelings toward her. Yes, every day was a gift to them—and they both knew it. That was what made their burgeoning relationship so special and rare.

Dana's laughter preceded her entrance into the ready room. Griff turned, expectant. Her instructor, Lieutenant Jay Gardiner, followed her into the building. Dana's smile deepened when she saw Griff.

"Hi," she greeted. Griff was in a pair of dark blue slacks and a light blue short-sleeved shirt.

Griff smiled at her. "You look happy," he noted, giving a nod to Jay, who sat down at a report table. Dana sat opposite her instructor.

"I am. Mr. Gardiner just awarded me a 2.3 for this flight."

"Well deserved," Jay told Griff. "This will only take a few minutes, and then she's done for the night."

"Take your time." Griff sat down at the other end of the room. He hadn't tried to keep his interest in Dana a big secret, but discretion was warranted. Fraternization between student and instructor was frowned upon, but not illegal. He knew Jay, who was happily married, suspected something was going on, but he'd kept any questions he had about it to himself. Once, Dana stole a look in Griff's direction. Her azure eyes shone with such happiness that it stole the breath from Griff.

Signing off on the board, Dana rose and thanked Gardiner. The instructor smiled, waved goodbye to Griff and left. She picked up her helmet bag and logbook, and walked across the room to where he sat.

"This is highly unusual behavior on your part," Dana teased. She made sure no one could see them before leaning over and giving him a quick kiss on the mouth. The surprise in his eyes made her laugh as she straightened.

"I know this is erratic behavior for me," Dana said, "but you looked so good sitting there, I just had to kiss you."

Griff grinned. "I like your spontaneity."

Dana stood, wanting so badly to step into the circle of his arms but knowing she couldn't under the circumstances. She read the smoldering intent in Griff's gray eyes and felt her body coming to life beneath his smoky look. "It's your fault. You bring it out in me," she accused, smiling.

"I'm glad you're in a spontaneous mood tonight, Miss Coulter." Griff stood and walked with her toward the exit. "How'd you like to grab enough clothes for the weekend and go deep-sea fishing off the coast with me?"

Stunned, Dana halted. Griff had stopped and placed his hands on his hips in a typical jet-jock pose. He looked impossibly handsome, a devilish glimmer in his eyes. "The whole weekend?"

"Yes, we'll be alone. I have a friend who has a fishing boat. It's got bunks and a galley." His heart beat harder. Would Dana say no? He saw her hesitate. "I don't know about you, but I need a break from this place. I thought you might like one, too." That was the truth. He hoped Dana wasn't thinking he'd planned the trip as a way of getting her to go to bed with him.

An entire weekend alone with Griff.... The thought was provocative, enticing. Where would it lead? Over the past month, how many times had she wanted to make love with Griff? Would it be the same as it had been with Lombard? Fear placed a wedge between Dana's need to share herself with Griff, and her past experience. "Griff...I don't know...."

Lowering his voice, Griff stepped over and barely grazed her cheek with his thumb. "Look, just because we're together on the same boat doesn't mean I expect anything from you, Dana. I'm not Lombard taking you home for a weekend and then trapping you in a room. Okay?" He held her luminous azure eyes, seeing desire in their depths, but also seeing the fear. Right now he wanted to strangle Lombard. The bastard had really hurt Dana with his selfishness. It did Griff no good to insist he wasn't like Lombard, he had to continue to prove it—one slow, patient step at a time.

Dana hung her head. "Thanks for understanding, Griff. It's not you…"

"I know." He leaned over, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Want to come with me?"

Dana's mouth curved into a slight smile. "I'd love to."

Back at the apartment, Dana packed a small suitcase. Maggie wandered in a bit later and leaned against the door-jamb.

"Hi."

"Hi." Dana turned and smiled. Maggie looked as tired as Dana felt.

"Going someplace?"

Heat crept into Dana's face. "Yes."

"With Griff?" Maggie pushed away the doorframe and walked into the bedroom.

"Yes."

Maggie smiled, throwing her arm around Dana. "You're blushing. Why? It's not a sin to take some time off with someone you like."

"You're right." Dana went back to packing. Maggie sat down next to the luggage, and Dana told her everything.

"Do you feel like Griff's setting this up, the way Lombard set you up?" Maggie asked, stretching out on the bed.

Zipping her suitcase shut, Dana shook her head. "No... But I'm not sure what will happen."

"Welcome to the real world. Weird, funny, stupid and crazy things happen when you get a man and woman who like each other together."

With a laugh, Dana sat down and shook her head. "Good old pragmatic Maggie comes through again with one of her parables of wisdom."

"Experience speaking," Maggie reminded her archly, grinning. "Not a whole lot of it, but enough to be able to sit here and tell you to relax and have fun. Don't try to read anything into it, Dana. Frankly, I wish I had a guy like him, right now. I think he's trying to give you a break from this crazed training. Take it and run!"

Silence settled around them. Dana stared down at her clasped hands. Finally Dana whispered, "I guess I'm more frightened of my feelings toward Griff, than I am of him or this weekend alone on the boat. It's me I don't trust."

Maggie reached over, placing her hand on Dana's shoulder. "Take it one hour at a time, Dana. Don't expect anything of yourself. Just let things flow naturally between you. It's time you two tried being alone. Griff's serious about you, and vice versa. Just enjoy him without reading anything into it. Okay?"

Standing, Dana picked up her suitcase. "Thanks, Maggie. You're always the wise Celt."

Maggie grinned broadly and picked up strands of her red hair. "Druidic heritage, my dear. We Celtic women have the Sight. I'm right: You'll have a wonderful time."

Leaving the apartment, Dana thought how much she wanted Maggie to be right. Sometimes Maggie had a phenomenal intuitive ability that bordered on being psychic. Her heart moved gently and centered on Griff. Within an hour they would be on the boat, heading out to a small cay in the gulf. Excitement mixed with dread washed over Dana. Was she ready for this step?

When Griff shrugged out of his dark blue polo shirt and revealed his powerful chest, Dana's mouth went dry. They had just anchored the huge fishing boat—which looked more like a racing craft—on the leeward side of a small cay off Santa Rosa Island. Clad only in his tan shorts, Griff was the consummate male animal in Dana's eyes. She was amazed at his total lack of concern over his near nakedness. His natural acceptance of his body gave her the courage to shed her jeans and blouse.